Vietnam has potential to expand garment exports to France

March 19, 2012 | 19:41

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At a seminar to promote textile and garment exports to France and other EU countries, held in Ho Chi Minh City last week, French experts affirmed that Vietnam had vast potential and opportunity to expand exports to France.

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The EU market is ranked second after the US for Vietnam’s textile and garment manufacturing industry, and export turnover to France was $202 million in 2011.

Ms. Alice Baey, global purchasing director of the Casino group, one of the biggest European retailers with about 10,000 stores in nine countries, said that textile and garment exports from China and Bangladesh have occupied a large market share in EU countries and in France.

However Vietnamese textile and apparel have many opportunities to expand exports to France, which wants to diversify supply sources.

Variety and excellent designs are important factors to penetrate the French fashion market, added Ms. Alice Baey.

French Company Oxylane Group-Decathlon, which specializes in production and retailing of sports goods all over the world, is one of the biggest partners of Saigon Garment Manufacturing Joint Stock Company (Garmex Saigon) for the last ten years. Decathlon now wants to expand its operations and look for more suppliers in Vietnam

Casino group is a bridge for bringing Vietnamese textile and garment, and other goods to foreign markets including EU.

France is a fastidious market with a high demand for quality, colour, fashionable designs and fast delivery time, said Pham Xuan Trinh, vice director-general of Phong Phu Home Textile.

Jo Bueters of Casino Group pointed out that businesses must meet criteria such as better product quality, design and delivery to enter this market.

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